Traveling with Children

Whether we stay at hotels or someone’s home, where our little guy will sleep is always a question. This travel bed, available in a variety of sizes and models, provides a safe, familiar place for your baby or young child to catch his Zs. Mosquito-netted screens on all four sides provide protection and keep the PeaPod well-ventilated. Plus, the bed folds down in seconds, packs into an included pouch, and fits into most carry-on luggage with room to spare.

The Beco Butterfly II has the features any intrepid traveling parent wants. You can carry baby in front or back, and an internal harness allows you to remove the carrier to transfer the baby to another parent without having to pull him out of the carrier, key for a quick transition without waking up the baby. (We’ve managed to transfer our little guy between us while clearing airport security, which was a miracle.) Plus, the Beco is fully adjustable, so my husband quickly became a convert when we realized the carrier can fit his broader shoulders.
Get it from Beco »

Best All-Purpose Travel Stroller: Baby Jogger City Mini Single Stroller 3 of 20

This stroller is lightweight, easy to fold, and has a slim profile, key for fitting through narrow sidewalks and doorways. We’ve used just this one stroller for all of our adventures, from exploring cities to light trekking, and it’s held up well. The carry bag is an absolute must. Its interior has separate pouches for each of the stroller’s three detachable wheels, and the entire stroller frame zips up inside the protective pouch to keep careless baggage handlers from causing any harm.
Get the baby jogger from Diapers.com »
Get the travel bag from StrollerMama »

My husband has had to change our baby’s diapers in some really questionable places. A changing pad and wipes case makes the job much easier. It fits into any purse or day bag and holds everything you need for a quick diaper change. If you’re on a plane, stash this mini-changer into the seat pouch to avoid rummaging through a cavernous diaper bag mid-flight (and annoying fellow passengers). I especially like the clip on this mini-changer, which you can attach to the outside of a backpack for easy access once you’re hoofing it through the airport.
Get it from Giggle »

Best Travel Changing Pad: Munchkin Arm 5 of 20

We used to travel with just one changing pad. Then we experienced The Great Diaper Blowout of Winter 2011 in the Hanoi International Airport, which didn’t have any baby-friendly changing facilities around. We found ourselves trying to change a naked baby on freezing metal chairs at an unheated departure gate and then stuffing a soggy, soiled changing pad into a plastic bag shortly before boarding a 4-hour flight back home. After that incident, I purchased a box of these disposable liners to put on top of our larger changing pad so that I can simply throw away the evidence of future blowouts.
Get it from Amazon »

Best Travel Bathing Tub: Munchkin Inflatable Yellow Duck Tub 6 of 20

It took two drenched parents, a screaming baby, and a tiny standing shower in a hotel bathroom for us to find a better way to bathe baby on the road. We love this inflatable bathtub, which rolls up neatly in our suitcase. It only takes a couple of minutes to inflate, and there’s a fun electronic quacker in the beak that makes duck sounds when you squeeze it. Now that our baby’s a little older, he loves sitting in this tub and making the duck quack. (Although one time, airport security heard quacking coming from our bag. We had some explaining to do!)
Get it from Toys “R” Us »

We joke that this high chair makes us feel like we’re strapping our little guy down, but we mock only because we love. With the ability to turn any adult-sized chair into a high chair for baby, this little seat is a lifesaver when we eat out. It folds into a tiny pouch, fits into the diaper bag, and, best of all, it’s machine-washable.
Get it from My Little Seat »

Lifefactory’s glass bottles are protected with a silicone sleeve, so there’s no need to worry about BPA, phthalate, or PVCs. An interchangeable sippy cap is also available once your baby is ready to transition out of the bottle, and we’ve found that the glass keeps formula or breastmilk warmer for longer periods of time while we’re in transit.
Get it from Lifefactory »

Best Travel Night Light: Mobi Tykelight Jr. 9 of 20

Dark, unfamiliar hotel rooms are a breeding ground for middle-of-the-night wakings, so we’re always prepared with this battery-operated nightlight, which comes with a timer and two brightness settings. An added bonus: It’s safe for curious kids to play with.
Get it from Amazon »

Best Waterproof Pouches: Handmade Waterproof Zipper Pouch 10 of 20

We picked up similar waterproof zip pouches here locally, and I love these on Etsy made from recycled vinyl advertising banners. They’re great for keeping wet items, like swimsuits, contained when packing in a hurry. I also have one in our travel diaper/day bag to keep an extra T-shirt for each of us rolled up inside. (We’ve been caught in the rain, eaten messy lunches, and had enough diaper blowouts to know that having a fresh outfit handy is always a must.)
Get it from Etsy »

These are useful go-to blankets long after baby’s swaddling days are over. They fold down to almost nothing and provide a baby or toddler with a clean surface to play with some toys while waiting at the airport gate. When it’s time to board, just scoop up all four corners of the blanket, tie in a knot, and stuff those toys in the diaper bag!
Get it from Aden + Anais »

I’m always on the lookout for ways to travel with our little guy’s meals (you never know if baby’s favorite foods will be available!). Ideal for in-transit meals, this handy little container keeps snacks, formula, or rice cereal from spilling everywhere during feedings. It’s also BPA- and phthalate-free.
Get it from Inno Baby »

Best Car Seat Travel Adapter: Gogo Kidz Travelmate 13 of 20

Once our baby becomes a toddler, I look forward to using the Travelmate with his larger car seat. This ingenious contraption cuts the need to bring a stroller with you at all, if you just need a way to travel between gates at the airport. Its wheels attach to almost any forward-facing carseat (and in some cases, rear-facing ones, too, like the Britax Marathon). Weighing just 5 pounds, it folds compactly and slides into the overhead compartment once you’re on the plane.
Get it from gogo Babyz »

Best Mosquito Repellent: Badger Anti-Bug Balm 14 of 20

Mosquitoes are a constant annoyance in tropical climates, and I love this all-natural repellent. It smells great and is easier to apply on a wiggling little one than spray. Best of all, since it’s not a liquid, it’s TSA-friendly and won’t take up precious space in your limited toiletry bag. And, of course, you don’t have to worry about unwanted spills.
Get it from Badger Balm »

Best Organization System: Eagle Creek Pack-It Cubes 15 of 20

We’ve found that with the entire family’s clothing and gear in one giant suitcase, sometimes it’s hard to stay organized and find what we need while on the road. Make packing and staying organized on the road a breeze with these affordable zip-up pouches for everyone’s clothing.
Get it from the Container Store »

Plastic bowls with lids are a must for parents on the go. These deceptively simple containers make transporting homemade baby food a cinch. We’ve tossed them into the bottom of our diaper bag and are yet to experience a single leak.
Get it from Amazon »

Best Baby Travel Toiletries: ErbaOrganics Baby Travel Kit 17 of 20

Before our little guy was born, we stocked up on family-sized bottles of the baby basics. What we didn’t think about was how we’d manage to take these essentials with us when traveling. So what better way to pamper your little one than with this organic set of baby-friendly toiletries? Best of all, 15 percent of ErbaOrganic’s sales goes to support the Worldwide Orphans Foundation.
Get it from Erba »

Best Travel Kid Safety Tool: Travel-Tot Childproofing Kit 18 of 20

This childproofing kit comes with removable adhesives, so you can make any hotel room safe for your child — without having to cause permanent damage! Everything can be installed without any extra tools, so your vacation just became a little more relaxing.
Get it from Travel Tot »

While it might be a challenge to fit this portable travel gate in a suitcase, it’s a no-brainer for road trips, where luggage space isn’t as limited. I love this gate because it folds out in a snap and fits in just about any doorway or opening.
Get it from Target »

Best Travel Toy: Earlyears Lil Shopper Play Set 20 of 20

Any parent knows that while vacations are a blast, getting there sometimes isn’t always a cakewalk. Fight boredom and a fussy baby with this little grocery bag filled with soft toys. We love the five toys that come with this little shopping bag; when baby gets bored of one, we just switch it out for a new one!
Get it from Amazon »

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